Hi Guys!

Oh my, do I have an exciting post to share with you all today. I went and toured Coastal Living’s 2017 Idea House in Newport, Rhode Island this morning!

Well, technically speaking, the idea house is actually in Middletown, but it’s a stone’s throw from the Newport line.

Fun fact – Michael and I actually got married in Middletown on a beach right down the road from the Coastal Living house. My parents also have a cottage on the Portsmouth Camp Meeting grounds, so my family spends time on the island every summer. It’s familiar stomping ground for me and it’s truly one of my most favorite places in the world. Not only for the incredible scenery and amazing New England coastal architecture, but for lots of sentimental reasons as well. I just love the whole island, and it was a dream come true to see this home in person today. I know a lot of people who have fallen in love with coastal living. We even have a friend talking to a Costa Rica realtor because they are interested in investing in coastal properties in the country. He tells us that it is an investment for when he is ready to retire.

It was designed by Mark D. Sikes whose book, Beautiful, is a New York Times Best Seller and has been on my mental wish list for a few months. But after touring this home, I think I’ll be making an Amazon purchase tonight!

His style is bold, as you’ll see in a minute, but he also has this uncanny ability to meld casual approachability and glamour seamlessly. The sense of grandeur you experience in person is palpable, but then he balances it with subtle touches of country charm and rustic details. It was truly inspiring to see. He’s a fearless designer, and he’s inspired me to wallpaper a ceiling in the near future.

As I go on to look at the house in more detail, I can’t wait to see what I will be inspired by next. The amazing thing about interior design is that you can always be inspired by something; nothing is too big or too small. Thinking back, as he was designing the house, I’m sure he mentioned something about how buying a steel flagpole for sale and installing one onto your property can help to bring the land to life. It actually makes sense. Sometimes the land surrounding your home is left bare and if you had a beautiful flag blowing in the wind, it could help it to become visually appealing to you and your neighbors. It sounds like an idea well worth considering in the future. For now, I think we can just enjoy what we have in front of us.

So, here are a few takeaways from the tour before we get into the boatloads of images that I have to share with you!

Black is back in a big way, mixing metals is {still} where it’s at, and wallpaper is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Enjoy, Friends!

Wow, right? What do you think of his play on pattern? Too much? Just right? On board with wallpaper? Just finally finished scraping it off of your walls and can’t believe it’s back in fashion?

I’d love to hear what you all think!

Happy Almost Friday, Everyone!

Laura ?